The Syrian academics' will to carry out researches and studies that serve society in light of current circumstances has not been broken despite the daily terror attacks that hit the country.

The Aleppo University Center for Strategic Studies and Research (AUCSSR) was recently launched seven years after its foundation.

The declaration of launching the center was made on December 23, 2014 during a symposium held in Aleppo University under the title 'Syria and Regional Map'.

"This step means that Aleppo will remain the capital of art, science and literature," the AUCCSR' Director Dr. Ahmad Jaddouh, professor of rural development in Faculty of Agriculture told us via e-mail.

Goals

He stressed that the center aims to carry out strategic studies and researches that enhance national capability to draw up strategies and policies in order to reach solutions to obstacles that face comprehensive development.

"The center will also analyze the strategic problems, hold symposiums, offer experience and consultation in political, economic, social and cultural sectors and carry out field researches that meet needs of public and private circles," Dr. Jaddouh added.

He made clear that the filed researches and studies are to be carried out upon public and private circles' request, while the strategic researches and studies are to be done as initiatives proposed by the center.

The AUCSSR includes 14 workers and 12 research departments in all sectors and it is open to cooperation with Local, Arab and foreign circles, Dr Jaddouh said, adding: "We have started and we will never stop."

Aleppo, which was named by ISEECO as the capital of Islamic Culture in 2006, has sustained barbaric attacks by foreign-backed armed terrorists.

The staggering scale of destruction in the province proves that the main goal of the attacks was washing away every single trace of civilizations there, according to Dr. Mohammad Noureddin al-Tinbi, Head of archeological researches in the AUCCSR.

He stressed that 45 important archeological sites in the 12200-year-old city of Aleppo have been damaged over the past two years.

Terrorists linked to 'Free army' destroyed Umayyad Mosque

One of these sites is the Umayyad Mosque, which was built by Caliph Sulayman bin Abd al-Malik in 715 and it was rebuilt after a fire in 1169.

"On September 29, 2012, the free army gangs destroyed the eastern gate of the mosque. And on October 10, 2012, the gangs shelled the mosque in an attempt to storm it,"Dr. al-Tinbi said, asserting that the mosque was massively damaged.

He added that on October, 14, 2012 the free army gangs entered the mosque and wreaked havoc in it, while on February, 26, 2013, the southern wall of the mosque was completely destroyed by the gangs."

"Two months later, the free army-affiliated 'al-Tawhid' brigade destroyed the minaret of the Umayyad Mosque in order to close the Souq al-Haddadin road, but they failed to close the road because the minaret fell inside the mosque causing damage to the northern wall."

The same brigade stole on May 13, 2013, the mosque's minbar that was built by Mohammad bin Ali al-Mouselli in 1309, Dr. al-Tinbi added.

Ancient markets

During the process of destroying the Umayyad Mosque, the so-called opposition razed the ancient markets in Aleppo in 2012.

"The so-called opposition asked the owners of the shops in the ancient markets to close their shops in order to put economic pressure on the government. But the shops' owners refused to do that, therefore the opposition occupied the markets by the beginning of 2012 and looted them."

"On September 29, 2012 the opposition set fire to the shops and demolished them," Dr. al-Tinbi affirmed.

The above mentioned details were given in a lecture delivered by Dr. al-Tinbi following the declaration of launching the AUCSSR.

The lecture, obtained by the Syriatimes e-newspaper, included image of the Aleppo citadel surrounded by modern towers and it was shown during Investment and Building Exhibition held in Dubai in 2012.

"Since the beginning of the events in the country, Syria's enemies have systematically worked to destroy the ancient markets and buildings in Aleppo to wash away our civilization," Dr. al-Tinbi underlined.

He gave historical information about 12 archeological sites damaged by armed terrorists in Aleppo city, indicating that what is going on in Aleppo is similar to what happened in Najd and al-Hejaz upon the foundation of Al Saud State.

70 armed terrorist groups in Syria

As many as 70 armed terrorist groups are fighting against the Syrian army in the country, according to media sources.

Last week, Presidential Political and Media Advisor Dr. Bouthania Sha'aban declared that 60.000 Arab and foreign fighters are fighting in Syria against the state.

Those fighters, who infiltrated to Syria via Turkish, Lebanese, Iraqi and Jordanian borders, came from more than 83 countries to destroy Syria, the cradle of civilization, in order to serve the western and Zionist interests.

But the Syrian army and people under the leadership of President Bashar al-Assad will defeat terrorism and rebuild the country.